“LYON, France – INTERPOL has been cooperating closely with the Special Tribunal of Lebanon (STL), since its formation, to assist in identifying and bringing to justice those responsible for the assassination on 14 February 2005 of Rafiq Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon.

As part of that cooperation, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has the authority to seek international wanted persons notices (Red Notices) via INTERPOL to apprehend and to prevent the unlawful flight of those wanted for arrest by the STL.

The Special Tribunal of Lebanon also has the authority to request INTERPOL to keep the names of those wanted for arrest confidential, under seal, and made available only to police in INTERPOL’s 188 member countries.

Until now, INTERPOL has received no request from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to issue INTERPOL Red Notices or to enter into INTERPOL’s databases any information about the individuals wanted for arrest for the assassination of the former Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafiq Hariri.

In response to any media inquiries on why INTERPOL Red Notices have not been requested and why the identifying data of those wanted for arrest by the STL have not been entered into our databases, INTERPOL will only make the following statement:

“INTERPOL can offer no explanation for why the Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon would not authorize the disclosure to INTERPOL’s 188 member countries of the names, dates of birth and photographs of those wanted for arrest by the Special Tribunal of Lebanon for the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, the former Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Police cannot arrest, prevent dangerous persons from entering their countries’ borders, or prevent their flight from justice of other countries based on information in the media; police require authorization from judicial or other governmental authorities.”

INTERPOL’s Secretary General, Ronald K. Noble, has stated on many occasions that “the failure to include the names and identifiers of those wanted for arrest in INTERPOL databases increases their ability to cross international borders undetected and to avoid apprehension.”

Any media inquiries to INTERPOL concerning those wanted for arrest by the Special Tribunal Lebanon for the assassination of Rafiq Hariri should be directed to the STL itself.”

Douglas McNabb and other members of the U.S. law firm practice and write extensively on matters involving Federal Criminal Defense, INTERPOL Red Notice Removal, International Extradition and OFAC SDN List Removal.

The author of this blog is Douglas McNabb. Please feel free to contact him directly at mcnabb@mcnabbassociates.com or at one of the offices listed above.